Art remembers angst

2016-12-06 06:01

Gary Van Dyk
@Gvdcapejazz

The Cornerstone Institute hosted the launch of the book Karma Kurry last week as part of celebrations to announce resurrection of the “Towards the people’s culture” festival, which was originally banned in 1986. From left are Kumi Naidoo, who is featured in the book, Tina Schouw, who will be performing at the festival this weekend, Noel Daniels, Cornerstone CEO, and Puneet Kundal, Indian consul-general in Cape Town. PHOTO: gary van dyk

The angst of apartheid suppression will be remembered on Saturday with a festival to commemorate a gathering that was banned in 1986.

This year marks 30 years since a festival titled “Towards the people’s culture” was banned. Some of the acts scheduled to perform there will be featured at the event in Salt River this weekend.

Noel Daniels, CEO of the Cornerstone Institute, where the event is hosted, remembers that the original festival was intended to gather Africa’s most prominent artists as a response to the injustices of apartheid and to firmly root the arts as a tool for pursuing social justice.

“Our event will bring together all generations across the spectrum of cultural workers, media activists, innovators, struggle icons, artists and patrons, young and old, under the rallying call ‘Aluta Continua,’” he says. “Part of the entertainment will be acclaimed songstress Tina Schouw reflecting on her times in the 80s.

“Another iconic 80s band, Raakwys, featuring Valmont Layne, Andre Sampie and Aki Khan will also perform songs that look back at how far we’ve come on the road to freedom.”

Other performances includes Mthwakazi who will honour the sense of ceremony with her hybrid style of music which is a crossover between indigenous Xhosa bow music and opera.

Sylvestre Kabassidi will close the night with sounds from his native Ponte Noire in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Starting at 16:00 the event is hosted at the Cornerstone main campus on the corner of Durham and Victoria roads in Salt River. Entrance is free.